FR Doc E9-2117[Federal Register: February 2, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 20)]
[Notices]
[Page 5855-5857]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr02fe09-56]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
National Park Service
Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of Defense, Air
Force, Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA and University of California,
Santa Barbara, Repository of Archaeological and Ethnographic
Collections, Santa Barbara, CA
AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Notice is here given in accordance with the Native American Graves
Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), 25 U.S.C. 3003, of the
completion of an inventory of human remains and an associated funerary
object in the control of the U.S. Department of Defense, Air Force,
Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA, and in the physical custody of the
University of California, Santa Barbara, Repository for Archaeological
and Ethnographic Collections, Santa Barbara, CA. The human remains and
associated funerary object were removed from the Vandenberg Air Force
Base, Santa Barbara County, CA.
This notice is published as part of the National Park Service's
administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA, 25 U.S.C. 3003 (d)(3).
The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the
museum, institution, or Federal agency that has control of the Native
American human remains and associated funerary object. The National
Park Service is not responsible for the determinations in this notice.
A detailed assessment of the human remains was made for the
Vandenberg Air Force Base through a contracting Physical Anthropologist
with the Department of Anthropology, University of California, Santa
Barbara, and in consultation with representatives of the Santa Ynez
Chumash Mission Indians of the Santa Ynez Reservation, California.
In the early 1970s, human remains representing a minimum of one
individual were collected from the surface of CA-SBA-209, located near
Point Arguello on Vandenberg Air Force Base, Santa Barbara County, CA,
by L. Spanne, as part of Air Force commissioned archeological
reconnaissance work. No known individual was identified. No associated
funerary objects are present.
A single radiocarbon date (7890 BP) from site CA-SBA-209, dates the
human remains to within the Early Period.
In the 1970s, human remains representing a minimum of three
individuals were collected from the surface of CA-SBA-734, located in
the Casmalia Hills in the northern part of Vandenberg Air Force Base,
Santa Barbara County, CA, by L. Spanne and crew, during Air Force
commissioned work. No known individuals were identified. No associated
funerary objects are present.
Based on the excavated artifacts from the site, but that are not
associated funerary objects, CA-SBA-734 has been dated to the Middle
Period (A.D. 700-900).
In 1974, human remains representing a minimum of one individual
were excavated from CA-SBA-210, located on the south side of Point
Arguello on
[[Page 5856]]
Vandenberg Air Force Base, Santa Barbara County, CA, by M. Glassow,
University of California, Santa Barbara, under contract to the Air
Force. No primary burials were identified in the field; instead the
human remains were identified during the examination of faunal material
in the laboratory. No known individual was identified. No associated
funerary objects are present.
Although site CA-SBA-210 was occupied during all major time
periods, the presence of glass trade beads indicates its occupation
after European contact (post-A.D. 1500).
Between 1969-1973, human remains representing a minimum of one
individual were collected from the surface of CA-SBA-210, located on
the south side of Point Arguello on Vandenberg Air Force Base, Santa
Barbara County, CA, by L. Spanne, as part of Air Force commissioned
archeological reconnaissance work. No known individual was identified.
No associated funerary objects are present.
Artifactual evidence indicates that site CA-SBA-210 was occupied
throughout Santa Barbara prehistory and into the Mission Period. The
age of the human remains is not clear.
In 1974, human remains representing a minimum of two individuals
were excavated from CA-SBA-539, located on the south side of Honda
Canyon on Vandenberg Air Force Base, Santa Barbara County, CA, by M.
Glassow, University of California, Santa Barbara, under contract with
the Air Force. No discrete burials were identified in the field;
instead the human remains were identified during the examination of
faunal materials in the laboratory. No known individuals were
identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
Radiocarbon dates from site CA-SBA-539 indicate a Middle Period
occupation from 930-560 B.C.
In 1974, human remains representing a minimum of one individual
were excavated from CA-SBA-551, located just north of Point Arguello on
Vandenberg Air Force Base, Santa Barbara County, CA, by M. Glassow,
University of California, Santa Barbara, under contract with the Air
Force. No discrete burials were identified in the field; instead the
human remains were identified during the examination of faunal material
in the laboratory. No known individual was identified. No associated
funerary objects are present.
Radiocarbon dates from site CA-SBA-551 indicate a date of
occupation from 250 B.C.-A.D. 1260 (Middle to Late Periods).
In 1974, human remains representing a minimum of one individual
were excavated from CA-SBA-552, located on the east bank of Agua Vina
Creek on Vandenberg Air Force Base, Santa Barbara County, CA, by M.
Glassow, University of California, Santa Barbara, under contract with
the Air Force. No discrete burials were identified in the field;
instead human remains were identified during the examination of faunal
materials in the laboratory. No known individual was identified. No
associated funerary objects are present.
Radiocarbon dates for site CA-SBA-552 suggest an early date of
5600-5150 B.C.
In 1974, human remains representing a minimum of one individual
were excavated from CA-SBA-931, located near the coast northeast of
Surf Railroad Station on Vandenberg Air Force Base, Santa Barbara
County, CA, by M. Glassow, University of California, Santa Barbara,
under contract with the Air Force. No discrete burials were identified
in the field; instead human remains were identified during the
examination of faunal material in the laboratory. No known individual
was identified. No associated funerary objects are present.
Radiocarbon dates from site CA-SBA-931 indicate the presence of two
temporally distinct occupations (8860-9220 BP and 2460-2300 BP).
In 1987, human remains representing a minimum of two individuals
were removed from CA-SBA-225, located on Vandenberg Air Force Base,
Santa Barbara County, CA. No known individuals were identified. The one
associated funerary object is an Olivella shell bead.
In December 2006, Vandenberg Air Force professional staff conducted
an inspection of its archeological collection that is curated at the
Repository for Archaeological and Ethnographic Collections, University
of California, Santa Barbara. The human remains described in this
notice were removed from archeological sites located on Vandenberg Air
Force Base during excavations and recoveries conducted between 1969 and
1987. In 2007, Vandenberg Air Force contracted with a Physical
Anthropologist from the University of California, Santa Barbara to
conduct osteological tests and inventory human remains at the
Repository. Tests proved that the human remains were Native American.
In 2008, the associated funerary object described in this notice was
identified. Additional Native American human remains and associated
funerary objects removed from Vandenberg Air Force Base between 1991
and 1994, and curated at the Repository have been described in a Notice
of Intended Disposition published in 2008.
Consultation evidence from representatives of the Santa Ynez
Chumash Mission Indians of the Santa Ynez Reservation, California,
supports the determination of the human remains as Native American, and
that the removals were from sites that are known Chumash cultural sites
predating contact with the Spanish. Also consistent with pre-contact
Chumash burials are the associated funerary object described in this
notice, and the others removed during the 1991-1994 excavations. Based
on archeological, osteological, and consultation evidence, officials at
Vandenberg Air Force Base have reasonably determined the human remains
to have a shared group relationship with the Santa Ynez Chumash Mission
Indians of the Santa Ynez Reservation, California.
Officials at Vandenberg Air Force Base have determined that,
pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (9-10), the human remains described above
represent the physical remains of 13 individuals of Native American
ancestry. Officials at Vandenberg Air Force Base also have determined
that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (3)(A), the one object described above
is reasonably believed to have been placed with or near individual
human remains at the time of death or later as part of the death rite
or ceremony. Lastly, officials at Vandenberg Air Force Base have
determined that, pursuant to 25 U.S.C. 3001 (2), there is a
relationship of shared group identity that can be reasonably traced
between the Native American human remains and the associated funerary
object and the Santa Ynez Chumash Mission Indians of the Santa Ynez
Reservation, California.
Representatives of any other Indian tribe that believes itself to
be culturally affiliated with the human remains and associated funerary
object should contact Beth McWaters-Bjorkman, 30 CES/CEVNC, 1028
Iceland Ave., Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA 93437-6010, telephone (805)
606-0533, before March 4, 2009. Repatriation of the human remains and
associated funerary object to the Santa Ynez Chumash Mission Indians of
the Santa Ynez Reservation, California may proceed after that date if
no additional claimants come forward.
The Vandenberg Air Force Base is responsible for notifying the
Santa Ynez Chumash Mission Indians of the Santa Ynez Reservation,
California that this notice has been published.
[[Page 5857]]
Dated: December 31, 2008
Sherry Hutt,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. E9-2117 Filed 1-30-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-50-S